The British government is examining Denmark’s residential care system as it seeks solutions for an escalating crisis in English children’s homes. Spending in England climbed 96% over five years to surpass £3.1bn, while councils paid over £125m for hundreds of youths placed in illegal homes. Children’s minister Josh MacAlister toured a Copenhagen facility where staff with degrees in social pedagogy provide predictable routines in a family-like setting. MacAlister now plans to abandon England's strict rule requiring young people to leave care at 18, which currently uproots some teenagers during their A-levels.
Key points
British officials want to replace England's risk-averse model with the Danish emphasis on…: British officials want to replace England's risk-averse model with the Danish emphasis on personal growth and family connections.
The minister intends to eliminate England's hard cutoff at age 18 to allow young people t…: The minister intends to eliminate England's hard cutoff at age 18 to allow young people to stay in care through early adulthood.
Denmark uses degree-level professionals in social pedagogy to deliver semi-independent ho…: Denmark uses degree-level professionals in social pedagogy to deliver semi-independent housing and life skills up to age 23.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
In a quiet suburb on the outskirts of Copenhagen sits a large white house, set back from the road behind a purple-leaved plum tree. It looks much like the rest of the buildings on the street and there is little outward sign this is Josephine Schneider’s House, considered one of the best children’s homes in the world.
Danish children’s homes are often cited as the gold standard of children’s residential care globally. They are now being studied by the British government as it tries to create a roadmap out of the crisis in which its own children’s home system has become mired.
Last year there were 669 children living in illegal, unregistered children’s homes across England, with councils paying more than £125m of taxpayers’ money to keep them there.
Overall spending on children’s homes soared 96% in five years to over £3.1bn in 2023-24, while standards have dropped, private equity firms are cashing in and a growing number of children are being sent to homes hundreds of miles away.
The situation is dire, the children’s minister, Josh MacAlister, admits. “We…
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